Tag: covenant

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Discussions Parenting tips Torah

Children: Heaven’s strategy for kingdom expansion (Genesis 29–30)

Adobe Firefly illustrated banner featuring three joyful young girls running through a vibrant field with sunlight and colorful brushstroke-style background. The large bold text in the center reads, “CHILDREN,” with the subtitle below: “Heaven’s strategy for kingdom expansion – Genesis 29–30.” The hallel.info logo is visible in the top left corner.

Children are a divine blessing and essential to God’s covenant. In this study, we zeroed in on the bigger lessons from the sibling rivalries in Genesis, focusing on Leah and Rachel’s struggle to bear children (Genesis 29–30). Contrary to a frequent refrain on social media, children aren’t an inconvenience, but a sacred trust for passing faith between generations. Modern society is slowly recognizing children’s importance as birth rates plummet to civilization-ending levels. Scripture reveals the crucial role parents play in teaching God’s words and modeling trust across generations.

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Discussions Torah

Exodus 21: God is Enforcer of covenants, Liberator of slaves, Vindicator of the unborn

Parashat Mishpatim is one of the most uncomfortable chapters in the Torah. It has rules about what we would call indentured servitude as well as how to deal with victims of infanticide. However, the overarching theme in today’s Torah study is how God holds us to keep our own covenants, even if they go above and beyond the covenants He has placed on us Himself. 

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Discussions Life With God

God ‘cuts off’ parts of House of God to promote growth

6:9 digital painting in intricate layered paper-origami style. A vast vineyard fills the landscape beneath an early morning misty dawn. A majestic divine gardener, represented only by glowing hands descending from heaven, carefully prunes branches from an enormous vine shaped like the nation of Israel based on the pre-1948 borders. Some vine branches are being trimmed while others burst with clusters of ripe fruit. Paper-cut rays of sunlight stream into newly opened spaces where dense foliage was removed. The discarded branches lie below while healthy growth expands upward. Rich symbolic storytelling, folded-paper textures, intricate shadows between layers, of shimmering silver, emerald green, and deep burgundy tones, dramatic depth, highly detailed origami craftsmanship, inspirational and hopeful atmosphere. At the bottom center of the graphic, the title "God 'cuts off' parts of House of God to promote growth" and in the bottom right corner, the logo of Hallel Fellowship is in the shadows.

There’s a common theme occurring throughout the Hebrew Roots/Messianic community recently — separation and regrouping. We also see in Scripture the recurring symbol of “cutting off” in an agricultural sense to talk about God’s action in improving the health of the “vine” of Israel. It’s OK when God cuts off parts of the vine to promote growth. It’s OK if there is a time of not producing fruit.

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Discussions Torah

Laban and Ya’akov’s final covenant (Genesis 30:25–31:55)

We look at the final covenant between Laban and his son-in-law Jacob. Jacob’s six-year prosperity with Laban, marked by unconventional animal husbandry, leads to tension as Laban’s wealth declines. Amid disputes, God directs Jacob to return to his homeland. Laban pursues, accusing Jacob of theft, but God intervenes in a dream, preventing harm. Jacob confronts Laban, recounting years of mistreatment. A covenant is formed, and fear shifts from Jacob to Laban. The narrative highlights God’s role in trials and underscores the prophetic nature of biblical stories, urging readers to seek divine understanding in difficulties.

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 17: God Renames Abraham and Sarah, Establishes Everlasting Covenant

Digital illustration of a man in ancient shepherd’s robes standing in a palm grove at night, gazing up at a clear, star-filled sky with the Milky Way prominently visible. He holds a wooden staff, and the surrounding desert trees and mountains are dimly lit under the starlight. Overlaid text reads: “God Renames Abraham & Sarah, Establishes Everlasting Covenant – Genesis 17.” A small logo in the bottom right corner reads “hallel.info."

Abraham obeyed God and had himself and all the men in his household circumcised and they all agreed to do it, including Ishmael. In the flesh, there’s no reason for circumcision, but if you believe in God, there’s every reason for it. Actively trusting God’s words — called “faith” and “belief” — is what makes one righteous.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 5: Moses elaborates on the 10 commandments

Studies in Torah

Yeshua told the devil, “We are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” The words of God are not limited to the “New Testament,” as a number of Christians assume. Yeshua said, “If you love me keep my commandments.”

We believe with all our hearts that Yeshua and the Father are “one.” We understand that the words of the Torah are Yeshua’s words, just like the Sermon on the Mount/Plain are Yeshua’s words.

Deuteronomy is not just repeating the prior books like a parrot but adding and elaborating on prior teachings. It shows us not just the words of God but the heart of God. When you love someone you want to know what is in their heart.

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 15 — Abram’s strange vision of animals cut in half & God as an oven & torch

Studies in Torah

An important part of the everlasting, single-side, faith-based contract God made with Abram involved this strange and graphic “vision” of animals cut in pieces, scavengers, darkness and God appearing as a smoking oven and a torch. Many scholars explain this away as a common form of ancient deal-making.